On this day in music history: January 26, 1970 - Bridge Over Troubled Water, the fifth studio album by Simon & Garfunkel, is released. Produced by Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and Roy Halee, it is recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in Los Angeles and New York City from November 1968 - November 1969. After a triumphant year in 1968 with the back to back successes of the soundtrack forThe Graduate and their fourth album Bookends, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel will begin work on what will be their final studio album in the Fall of 1968. Progress on the album will be slow at first with Simon having little new material written at the outset. Then work will be further hampered when Garfunkel leaves the sessions to work on his first film, director Mike Nichols’ Catch-22, spending eight months on location in Mexico. In the interim period, Simon will write the rest of the songs and recording will resume in the Fall of 1969. The ambitious breadth of material will push the boundaries of what the duo has done previously, and though the sessions are productive, there will also be tension between the old friends as relations between the two begin to break down. The two will argue over what is to be the twelfth track on the album. Simon prefers a song he’s written called “Cuba Si, Nixon No,” while Garfunkel favors a Bach chorale-influenced song called “Feuilles-O.” When they cannot resolve the argument, the album will be released with 11 tracks instead of 12. When Bridge is finally completed, it is released to near universal acclaim from both fans and critics alike. At the time of its release, it will be one of the biggest selling albums in the history of Columbia Records. It will spin off four singles including “The Boxer” (#7 Pop), “Cecilia” (#4 Pop), "El Condor Pasa" (#18 Pop), and the epic title track (#1 Pop). The album will also sweep the Grammy Awards in 1971, winning six including Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Album Of The Year. In March of 2011, Sony will release a 40th anniversary edition of the album which also includes two DVD's featuring the long unseen Songs Of America TV special (which previewed songs from the album before its release), and a documentary titled The Harmony Game. Bridge Over Troubled Waterwill spend ten weeks at number one on the Billboard Top 200 and is certified 8x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

Born on this day: January 19, 1946 - Country music icon Dolly Parton (born Dolly Rebecca Parton in Sevierville, TN). Happy 69th Birthday, Dolly!!

Born on this day: January 19, 1949 - Singer and songwriter Robert Palmer(born Robert Allen Palmer in Batley, Yorkshire, UK). Happy Birthday to this brilliant blue-eyed soul/rock vocalist on what would have been his 66th birthday.

On this day in music history: January 19, 1959 - "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by The Platters hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Written by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach, it is the third and final chart topping single for the pioneering R&B/Pop vocal group fronted by lead singer Tony Williams.The song is originally written in 1933 for the musical Roberta, and is also sung by actress Irene Dunne in the film adaptation of the musical in 1935. The Platters will record their version in Paris in October of 1958. At first, Kern's widow will seek to file an injunction to block the record from being distributed, fearing that the group has turned her late husband's song into a "rock & roll record." One of Kern's colleagues, legendary songwriter Oscar Hammerstein II will intervene, not only convincing Mrs. Kern to drop her suit, but also publicly thanking The Platters and their producer Buck Ram for reviving the song and introducing it to a new generation of fans. Entering the Hot 100 at # 86 November 17, 1958, it will climb to the top of the chart nine weeks later. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" will be The Platters last major hit, after a public scandal a few months after the song's run on the charts results in the four male members of the group being arrested in Cincinnati, OH on drug and prostitution charges. Though the charges are dropped, the incident will do irreparable damage to their reputation resulting in radio stations dropping their past records from playlists and refusing to play subsequent releases. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

On this day in music history: October 27, 1956 - “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry is released. Written by Clarence Henry, it is the debut single and first hit for the New Orleans-born singer and pianist. Issued on Chess Records’ Argo imprint, the song will quickly establish Henry's music career and make him a staple of the Bourbon Street strip in his hometown. The rock & roll classic will peak at #3 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart and #20 on the Best Sellers chart in January of 1957. "Ain't Got No Home" will become a pop cultural touchstone, later being featured in several films including Diner, The Lost Boys, and Casino, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years including a version by The Band.

On this day in music history: October 27, 1975 - Bruce Springsteen will make history when he appears on the covers of both Time and Newsweek Magazine the same week. Riding a huge wave of success brought on by Born To Run, Springsteen will find the massive amount publicity generated by his record label, and the overwhelming amount of attention he receives in the wake of it, unnerving and attempts to distance himself from it in order to maintain his artistic integrity. Before his performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in London (on November 18, 1975), he will tear down posters at the venue that bare the legend “Finally London is ready for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.”

This Friday, August 15th, Trannyshack, San Francisco's biggest and most fabulous drag performance night club, honors the two most famous Jackson siblings, Michael and Janet! This month, Trannyshack welcomes special guest star Milk (RuPaul's Drag Race)!

Little Dragon is bigger than ever! Not only is their new record, Nabuma Rubberband (Loma Vista Recordings), getting major buzz around the world, the band has also teamed up with RedBull for the Nabuma Derby! Fans have a chance to win tickets to see the band play Bonnaroo. There are two ways to win. First, build the fastest rubberband derby car and take home an exclusive Little Dragon prize pack. Second, upload a picture of your derby car to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #NabumaDerby, and you could win two tickets to Bonnaroo (which is headlined this year by Elton John, Kanye West, Jack White and Vampire Weekend). Visit the Nabuma Derby site for details. Contest is being held now!

Little Dragon visited AmoebaHollywood on Record Store Day and managed to sneak in some shopping. Of course they hung out and shared their findings with us! Yukimi and Erik kick things off with a couple of really cool shirts by jazz great Pharoah Sanders and '80s new wavers Devo. Yukimi digs up a classic twelve inch by Janet Jackson, the infamous "Got 'Til It's Gone." Legend has it the late great J.Dilla produced this hit, but credit was given to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Clearly big fans of hip hop and R&B, Little Dragon also pick up Midnight Maraudersby A Tribe Called Quest, which Erik calls the "best record in the world," and Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious" on vinyl. Check out the full episode for all their great finds!